Page 63 of Matthew

“Fifty!” the Dantovonian screeched. “No more than twenty off, and that’s my final price!”

When Avir’s eyes narrowed and he hesitated, Matt broke. He had to have it, and the price was a steal, even if it had to be completely rebuilt. “You could always consider it a clanning present.”

Avir’s chin dipped, and Matt took it to be an agreement though he said, “I’d hoped to buy you something much nicer than this old thing.” He sighed and frowned at the Dantovonian. “Fine. We’ll take it.”

Matt was so delighted, he was dizzy. He did his best to hide it until the transaction was completed, letting his hair slide forward to hide his face while he snapped the battered but serviceable hard-shell case closed on his treasure.

“Okay, you can ship it to—”

“Can I take it with me?” Matt was desperate to keep it from leaving his sight. Who knew what might happen to it when they left the store? He hugged the case, which was almost as long as he was tall, to his chest.

“Sure.” Avir’s eyes twinkled. “Smart. You can go over it in better light, in case you find some reason to return it before we leave.”

“All sales final!” the proprietor yelped in his buzzing voice. He hop-crawled on his insectile legs to the rear of the store and disappeared in the dark room beyond, as if afraid Avir would force him to return the money.

Matt grinned so hard, his jaw ached. He hurried out ahead of his clan, equally worried the Rickenbacker would somehow escape him.

They caught up to him a few steps beyond the store. “Whoa, little man. You’re rushing off like you stole it,” Kom called.

“We did!” Matt heard himself squeal, but didn’t care. “I know it’s meaningless to most, but this guitar was worth a fortune on Earth! And it was worth every penny I could have spent there. I just hope it actually plays right. Maybe there’s someone who can service it if it doesn’t. There’s got to be some Earther still alive who does repairs. But maybe it’s okay. It looked okay.”

Avir chuckled and gently claimed the case from him, interrupting his excited jabbering. “I’m glad we got it for you. It’s obviously a treasure to you.”

“You have no idea. This guitar is everything!”

They stopped by the room to drop off the Rickenbacker, their plan to leave immediately for dinner. Matt hovered over the case, however, leading Kom to tease, “I’ve been replaced. There’s no room left in your heart for me.”

“What? Don’t be ridiculous.” Matt ran across the sitting room and leapt into the laughing Nobek’s arms.

Kom easily caught him. “I see the way you look at it. It’s how you used to look at me. What can I do to win you back?”

Matt wound his legs around the bigger man’s waist. “It’s only an instrument. An amazing instrument, but compared to you…” He twisted to call to the guitar, “What’s that, honey? I’ll be right there.”

Kom gave his ass a couple of playful swats. “You’re a mess, Mattie. Ancestors, I’m glad you’re happy.”

Matt wrapped his arms around his neck and held tight. “You make me happy. All of you.”

The others joined them, a sea of arms holding him. They stood there for a while. Matt wondered if they were as joyful as he was. No one could have been more grateful, though. He could live a thousand years and never figure out how to show them how thankful he was.

His stomach growled, ruining the moment.

“I second that,” Masok said. “Let’s find food.”

Masok gazed at Matt’s hand in his on top of the table as they sat in a Kalquorian restaurant waiting for their orders to arrive. His companion sat next to him, his face shining in unfettered joy as he laughed at something Kom said.

This was the young man they’d waited for, the Earther hidden by abuse and fear. Masok was in turns ecstatic and heartbroken. Matt had waited so long to be able to hold another man’s hand in public, to gaze at those he loved with open emotion, uncaring of anyone’s opinion. It was both wonderful and hard to witness.

As Kom waved to the waiter for another round of drinks, Masok whispered in Matt’s ear, “I love you.”

Matt’s smile was pure sunshine. “I love you too.” He didn’t whisper or duck behind his golden hair. He said it without cringing or checking the room to see who might have heard him.

Masok brought his hand to his lips and kissed each of Matt’s fingers in turn. Matt leaned close so he could kiss his lips. Masok did so, lingering over the soft sweetness of fearless love.

Kom watched his Imdiko and companion kiss from his floor cushion across the table. He swallowed against thickness in his throat. It refused to go down.

Matt had been so utterly broken, both when Kom had been imprisoned on the destroyer, then when he’d found him homeless and starving on a space station. Since taking him in, the Nobek had despaired more than once he wouldn’t be able to put him together. He’d feared he’d lose Matt to the monsters of the past.

He hadn’t fixed his beloved despite his efforts, not really. He’d only been able to support Matt and offer him the scattered pieces he’d found. It had been Matt who’d had to reassemble himself. Kom and his clan had simply given him the safe space to do so.

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